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Carrot Cake Drop Cookies

A closeup photo of Tiffany holding a bouquet.
By Tiffany
Modified: · Published:

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These soft Carrot Cake Drop Cookies are packed with warm spices, freshly shredded carrots, and topped with rich cream cheese frosting.

Rows of carrot cake drop cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and chopped pecans on top.

These cookies are perfect for Easter, Thanksgiving, spring desserts, or cozy fall baking. These easy cookies taste just like classic carrot cake in cookie form.

Ingredients

  • Butter
  • Cream Cheese
  • Light Brown Sugar
  • Granulated White Sugar
  • Large Egg
  • Pure Vanilla Extract
  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Cornstarch
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Baking Soda
  • Baking Powder
  • Salt
  • Nutmeg
  • Finely Shredded Carrots
  • Chopped Pecans or Walnuts
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Milk

How to Make Carrot Cake Drop Cookies

Carrot Cake Drop Cookies

A food processor with shredded carrots in it.
A black food processor with a clear bowl of chopped pecans in it.
A silver Kitchen Aid mixer with carrot cake cookie dough in it.
  • In a food processor, crush pecans or walnuts until they are tiny pieces. Set aside.
  • Next, blend carrots in the food processor to make them finely shredded. Dry them with a paper towel and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, cream cheese, and both sugars. Add vanilla and egg.
  • Add flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg and mix. Add carrots and pecans and mix until just combined.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Do not use nonstick spray. It will cause cookies to spread. Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop and add mounds of cookie dough onto the baking sheet.
  • Refrigerate cookie dough for 1 hour. This prevents cookies from spreading as they bake.
A silver baking sheet with fifteen carrot cake cookie dough mounds.
A silver rectangle baking sheet with fifteen baked carrot cake drop cookies.
  • Preheat the oven to 400℉. Place the baking sheet directly from the fridge into the oven and bake for 11-13 minutes. The tops should be set, and the center of the cookies should be slightly underdone. They will firm as they cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

An electric mixer with cream cheese frosting in it.
Rows of carrot cake drop cookies with a small cookie scoop adding cream cheese frosting on top.
A hand sprinkling chopped pecans on top of a carrot cake drop cookie.
  • Whip butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and slowly add powdered sugar until blended. Add 1-2 tablespoons of milk until reaching the desired consistency.
  • Use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop or a spoon to add a dollop of frosting to the top of each cookie. Sprinkle with additional chopped pecans or walnuts.

Tips

  • Use finely shredded carrots so the cookies stay soft and bake evenly. Large carrot shreds can leave the cookies too wet or stringy.
  • Pat excess moisture from the carrots with a paper towel if they seem very watery.
  • Slightly underbake the cookies for a softer texture. The centers should still look a little soft when removed from the oven.
  • Use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop or a spoon to add a dollop of frosting to the top of each cookie. I recommend chilling the frosting in the fridge before frosting the cookies. It makes it easier to use a cookie scoop. Sprinkle with additional chopped pecans or walnuts.

FAQ

Do carrot cake cookies need to be refrigerated?

Yes. Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the cookies in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

How long do carrot cake drop cookies last?

They stay fresh for about 4-5 days refrigerated.

Why are my cookies dry?

Overbaking is the most common cause. Remove the cookies when the centers still look slightly soft.
Also, measure flour by scooping the flour into a measuring cup with a spoon instead of scooping flour with the full measuring cup.

Can I add raisins?

Yes. Raisins, chopped pecans, or walnuts all work well in carrot cake cookies.

Several carrot cake drop cookies on a white surface next to a small wood bowl of chopped pecans and a small white bowl of shredded carrots.
Rows of carrot cake drop cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and chopped pecans on top.

Carrot Cake Drop Cookies

Tiffany
These soft Carrot Cake Drop Cookies are packed with warm spices, freshly shredded carrots, and topped with rich cream cheese frosting.
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Refrigeration Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 33 minutes
Course Desserts
Cuisine American
Servings 23 Cookies
Calories 181 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Carrot Cake Drop Cookies

  • ¼ cup Butter room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons Cream Cheese room temperature
  • ½ cup Light Brown Sugar
  • ¼ cup Granulated White Sugar
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1¾ cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
  • ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
  • ¾ cup Finely Shredded Carrots pat dry
  • ⅓ cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts optional

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 7 tablespoons Butter room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons Cream Cheese room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 2 cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons Milk
  • Chopped Pecans or Walnuts for topping

Instructions
 

Carrot Cake Drop Cookies

  • In a food processor, crush pecans or walnuts until they are tiny pieces. Set aside.
  • Next, blend carrots in the food processor to make them finely shredded. Dry them with a paper towel and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, cream cheese, and both sugars. Add vanilla and egg.
  • Add flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg and mix. Add carrots and pecans and mix until just combined.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Do not use nonstick spray. It will cause cookies to spread. Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop and add mounds of cookie dough onto the baking sheet.
  • Refrigerate cookie dough for 1 hour. This prevents cookies from spreading as they bake.
  • Preheat the oven to 400℉. Place the baking sheet directly from the fridge into the oven and bake for 11-13 minutes. The tops should be set, and the center of the cookies should be slightly underdone. They will firm as they cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Whip butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and slowly add powdered sugar until blended. Add 1-2 tablespoons of milk until reaching the desired consistency.
  • Use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop or a spoon to add a dollop of frosting to the top of each cookie. I recommend chilling the frosting in the fridge before frosting the cookies. It makes it easier to use a cookie scoop. Sprinkle with additional chopped pecans or walnuts.

Nutrition

Calories: 181kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 2gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 146mgPotassium: 47mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 929IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg

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